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Oman
Basics ''' There are 2 network operators in the Sulatante of Oman and 2 MVNOs: * '''Omantel (aka Oman Mobile) * Ooredoo (formerly Nawras) and the two MVNOs Friendi mobile '''and '''Renna mobile. '''A third operator is expected to be licensed in 2019. 2G/GSM is on 900 MHz, 3G/UMTS on 900 and 2100 MHz. 4G/LTE started 2013 on 1800 MHz (B1) on Omantel and Ooredoo and is available on prepaid. Ooredoo added 800 MHz for FD-LTE (B20) and Omantel started TD-LTE on 2300 MHz (B40) too. Visitors can buy prepaid SIM cards in the shops and outlets of the providers showing their passport. Oman censores the internet for content it considers as not appropriate, but censorship is not as severe as in the UAE or Saudi Arabia. '''Some VoIP still blocked VoIP was blocked for a long time in Oman to protect the monopoly of Omantel for international calls. People in the internet cafe and computer shops even got arrested for providing VoIP in the past. In 2013 some VoIP services like Google Talk and Viber were finally allowed. This applies to all VoIP services where both sides have to be linked through a data line. In 2016 this policy was specified. Only VoIP calls hosted from servers in Oman are legally allowed, and this is the reason why users are not able to make calls through certain popular applications. Calls made through messenger services like Yahoo and Google are routed through the licenced telecom operators in Oman and remain legal. Skype and WhatsApp voice call services to telephone lines stay blocked, but some people circumvent it by using VPN services and offer it illegally. Meanwhile, Ooredoo has released the first official VoIP calling app in the Sultanate (see below). As in all countries where VoIP calls are still banned, we give special advice how to call internationally in the chapters below. For this Ooredoo is the better choice because of their own legal VoIP call app. Third provider In 2016 Oman’s telecom regulator has decided to accept a 3rd telecom provider in the country to enhance competition. A decision was issued urging telecom companies to speed up network, quality enhancement and bring down prices of telecom services. The two existing telecom operators Omantel and Ooredoo are under intense pressure by a boycott launched on social media by clients in protest of high prices and low quality services. Mobile phone users were requested to switch off their phones or put them on flight mode. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has revealed that the licensing process for Oman’s third mobile operator has reached its final stage, and an announcement can be expected in early 2019. Omantel '''(a.k.a. Oman Mobile) Omantel is the Sultanate’s incumbent telecoms operator and primary provider of internet in the country on landline and ADSL. It's mostly state-owned and market leader in mobile networks too. In 2018 it reached 56% of the market. It has the best coverage and speeds and most customers. It's mobile branch is also known as Oman Mobile. Its 4G/LTE reaches most populated areas: 2G 3G 4G coverage map. '''Availability Their prepaid SIM card is called "Hayyak". Starter sets can be bought from any Omantel Mobile, Omantel retail outlets and authorized dealers: location list. There is one 24hrs shop at Muscat airport (MCT). Basic price for Hayyak "New Welcome Pack" is 2 OMR with 1.5 GB bonus data package (valid for 10 days) and 1 OMR additional credits included. Account management and recharging Reload vouchers are for RO 1, 3, 5 or 10 extending account lifetime for 6 months each recharge. You can recharge online with PayPal or your Visa/MasterCard credit card using 3rd party agencies with some surcharge like Recharge.com. To check your account balance, dial *100#. You can use mobile apps (available in English) for Android (Google Play) and Apple iOS (App Store). Data feature packs Default data rate for the Hayyak plan is 0.05 Bz per KB. "Hayyak Your Way" is their special combo plan with included calls and data. You can buy new starter pack with this plan or change from any other plan ("New Welcome Pack" or any other) by dialing *280*1#. To each plan 5 "favourite mobile numbers" can be added with unlimited calls included. To add a favourite number type *285*1*xxxxxxxxx#. All packages are valid for 30 days and contain another 2 OMR credit and . Data overage fee is 2 OMR per GB. Social media includes WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They offer these mobile broadband packages for more data to be added to all plans: You can subscribe to more than one package at a time, You can subscribe to the same package more than once. They will send you an SMS when you reach your data quota. 4G/LTE is included in these packages where available. You may have to activate LTE by texting '4G' to 91221. All packages will auto-renew. To stop text code and replace '#' by '*1#'. To check data balance text code and replace '#' by '*0#'. Tourist SIM Omantel has launched a Tourist Pack for visitors, which costs OMR 5 and provides for 10 days 2 GB of internet usage, 50 SMS and 50 voice minutes that can be used locally and internationally, in addition to free WhatsApp usage (max. 2 GB). The SIM is valid for 30 days and can be topped up again. The Tourist Pack is only sold to non-Omani passport holders and GCC Nationals. For passports holders, the visa page must be checked and verified. For GCC ID holders, an original ID copy is required when purchasing the Tourist pack. Upon recharge, all standard Hayyak bundles and tariffs are applicable on Tourist packs. More info * APN, Username and Password: taif * Website in English: https://www.omantel.om/wps/portal/Omantel/Personal/ Ooredoo '''(formerly Nawras) Ooredeoo is the 2nd provider in the country still giving good coverage in 3G and 4G: 3G 4G coverage maps. 3G covers 90% of the population and has reached 96% coverage of the Sultanate’s population with its ‘SuperNet’ 4G/LTE mobile network in 2019. Ooredoo from Qatar has acquired the majority of the operator which was called Nawras before and renamed it to Ooredoo in 2014. It's the no.2 slightly behind Omantel at 46% share of the market in 2018. Generally Ooredoo has lower prices than Omantel at a slightly lower coverage. '''Availability Their prepaid SIM card is called "Mousbak". "Welcome" starter sets can be bought from any store or dealer found here: Ooredoo store locator Mousbak starter pack is sold for RO 2 with RO 1 credit included for 30 days and 500 MB for 10 days. Another 500 MB for 10 days are given as a bonus if you top-up RO 1 or more for the first time. Recharge cards are available for RO 1, 2, 4 or 8 or by electronic reload in their stores. To top-up by recharge card enter *115*#. Data feature packs Pay-as-you-go rate outside of packages is 0.5 Bz per KB. They offer a big variety of daily, weekly and monthly packages: Customers will receive a SMS notification of their data usage at 80% and 100% of data consumption. All bundles will auto-renew. To stop type code and replace '#' by '*0#' at the end, to check data balance type *141*4*9#. Tourist SIM ''' Ooredoo has revamped its Visitor Pack in 2019. It's a prepaid mobile SIM card especially designed for tourists visiting Oman giving data as well as local and international minutes and SMS. It comes in 2 sizes: * RO 5: 4 GB, 50 mins, 50 SMS for 10 days * RO 10: 10 GB, 50 mins, 50 SMS for 15 days To check balances, enter *141*377# or use their app. You can get the Visitor Pack at any of their airport branches and in some Ooredoo stores. Line validity is for 2 months, on the first recharge it will renewed for 2 months. For more data you can add regular packages from above or Shababia. The SIM card will expire after 2 months. '''Roaming packages For discounted roaming in the GCC states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE) Ooredoo sells special Roaming passports: * for 1 day: RO 4 with 1 GB * for 1 week: RO 10 with 2 GB and 30 mins Activation is by *141* 501#, check data allowances by *141*77#. VoIP calling app VoIP is still partially banned in the country (see Basics above). In 2016 Ooredoo has launched a new app called Ooredoo Talk Oman, enabling its customers to make VoIP calls to mobile phones and fixed lines in over 200 destinations worldwide at the lowest rates in the Sultanate. The secure app for Android devices is available for free on the Google Play Store and an iOS version of OoredooTalk is announced, but not yet available. You need to load the app with a regular Ooredoo voucher. The reload gives the face value as VoIP credit with a certain validity: * RO 1: RO 1 credit for 7 days * RO 2: RO 2 credit for 14 days * RO 3: RO 3 credit for 30 days * RO 5: RO 5 credit for 60 days All calls have a set-up fee of 35 Bz (RO 0.035) and most EU and GCC countries are at 50 Bz per min, India and USA is at 10 Bz/min, China at 20 Bz/min making it one of the cheapest options to call internationally. More info * APN: Ooredoo * Username and Password: test * Website in English: https://www.ooredoo.om/ Shababiah Ooredoo Oman has launched a new sub-brand with a prepaid tariff plan called Shababiah (= youth) in 2016. Bearing a new logo the tariff iTimes aimed at Oman's youth, but generally accessible. Availability Shababiah Welcome Packs are available from any of Ooredoo’s 41 stores and franchises across Oman. For RO 2, the Shababiah Welcome Pack provides 1 GB data as well as RO 1 credit valid for 30 days. Existing Mousbak customers can opt into Shababiah by *141*555*5#. Once customers have joined, they can then choose the options that suit them. Shababiah customers can continue to use standard Mousbak recharge cards. Data feature packages Out of bundle charge is 10 Bz. per MB. Their new plans have these bundled data in the Sultanate: All plans auto-renew after 30 days. To unsubscribe, add '*9#' instead of '#' in the activation code. To check balance, add '*0#' instead of '#'. To revert to their standard default rate of 10 Bz. per MB, dial *141*555*55#. The first opt-in to any package is free, all subsequent opt-ins are for RO 1 each. For more data you can add 1, 2 or 3 GB for a month at the prices shown above or 1 GB for a day at RO 1. More info * Ooredoo VoIP Talk Oman works on Shababia too (see Ooredoo above) * APN: Ooredoo * Username and password: test * Website for Shababia in English: http://www.shababiah.om 'Friendi mobile' Friendi started in 2010 as a MVNO and is by now the 3rd largest operator in the country. It has used the network of Omantel up to 2019 In April 2019 they have entered into a new long-term agreement with rival Ooredoo Oman, which sees the MVNO switch from the Omantel network,. Customer migration started in May 2019. Existing customers are encouraged to swap SIM cards for their new Ooredoo network. Availability Their new prepaid SIM card on Ooredoo is called Superhet and is available at all the Lulu Hypermarkets, Zahra Phones, Zahrath Al Hanna and FRiENDi mobile kiosks in Muscat and Qurum City Centers and Muscat International Airport store locator. It's sold for free and comes with some introductory offers like triple data and bonus night data. The best feature is that all allowances don't expire as long as the SIM is active. The reload cards are available for 500 Bz and RO 1, 3, 5, 10 at Panda, Carrefour, Lulu, Bin Dawood, Othaim Markets, Sasco, Sahel Mart, Meed and Tamimi for instance. Data feature packs Pay-as-you-go data rate without having booked a package is 10 Bz per MB (RO 0.010/MB). These packages are offered all with unlimited validity: Night use is 11pm-4am. To check remaining data, type *125#. As introductory offer anytime data is tripled for night use until 30/June/2019. For extra data you can add 200 MB for RO 1 by *350*1#. You can buy as many extra add-ons as you want. They will not be automatically renewed. More info * Like Ooredoo Friendi is offering a VoIP app to download * APN: net * Website in English: http://www.friendimobile.com/en-om?home Renna mobile Renna mobile is the only other MVNO in Oman, aquired by Integrated Telecommunications Oman (TeO) in 2016. It's on Omantel's 2G and 3G network and now on 4G/LTE too. Availability Their prepaid SIM card is available at their sales outlets shown on this list for 2 RO containing the same credit. Their reload cards are available there or at any Oman Oil service station for RO 1, 3, 5, and 7. Check balance by *181*2#. Data feature packs Data outside of these packs is 0.05 Bz. per KB (= RO 10.486 per GB). They offer these packages: Night hours are 11pm - 5.59am. All packages auto-renew. To check or stop type *181*5#. To check data balance type *181*52#. You can add volume to an existing package by typing *181*54# * 100 MB: RO 0.600 * 500 MB: RO 2 * 200 MB of night traffic: RO 0.350 * 500 MB of night traffic: RO 0.650 More info * APN: renna-internet * Website in English: http://www.rennamobile.com/ RedBull Mobile In April 2019 the latest MVNO started under the brand of RedBull Mobile aimed at the Omani youth, but available to everone. It's operating under the licence of Majan Telecommunications Company, one of the first MVNOs to launch operations in Oman nearly a decade ago with its brand Renna mobile on the Omantel network in 2G/3G/4G. Availability Their SIM is available for free in their stores (locator) where you need to go for registration. You can pick a number before online. Recharges can be done online on their website with an international credit card between 500 Bz. and RO 10. Check remaining credit by *600#. Data feature packages RedBull Mobile offers three different base plans in which data are split in half between general data and social data. The latter can only be used for the 5 apps Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp. Data outside packages is at 10bz (= RO 0.010) per MB. These monthly base plans are sold including unlimited on-net calls and WhatsApp: * Smart: 1.5 GB general data + 1.5 GB social data: RO 6 * Bold: 3.5 GB general data + 3.5 GB social data: RO 10 * Brave: 6 GB general data + 6 GB social data: RO 15 For extra data these add-ons are available: * general data: ** 250 MB: RO 0.500 ** 600 MB: RO 1 ** 1 GB: RO 1.5 * social data (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp): ** 250 MB: RO 0.500 ** 600 MB: RO 1 ** 1 GB: RO 1.5 More info * APN is not yet known * Website in English: https://www.redbullmobile.om/en/ Category:Asia Category:Ooredoo Category:Virgin Mobile Category:11/17